startzman



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) I

P. P. MAST & G. W. STARTZMAN. HORSE HAY RAKE. No. 356,596; Patented Jan. 25, 1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. P. MAST & G. W. STARTZMAN. HORSE HAY RAKE.

No. 356,596. Patented Jan. 25; 1887.

Unites States Pann'r @rrrcra PHINEAS l. MAST AND GEORGE XV. STARTZMAN, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNORS. TO 1?. P. MAST 8: COMPANY.

HORSE HAY-RAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,596,1iated January 25, 1887.

Application filed March 17, 1886. Serial No. 195,561. (No model.)

.To (LZZ whom in may concern.-

Be itlrnown that we, PHI-NEAS P. li-IAST and GEORGE W. Smnrznnn, of Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invent-ed certain Improvements in Horse Hay- Ralres, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to that class of rakes in which a rocking axle supported at its ends in groundwheels is provided with elastic curved teeth and jointed to a draftframe carrying the drivers seat in such manner that the weight of the driver assists in rolling the axle to lift the teeth.

The invention relates to various i1nprovemenls, hereinafter described in detail, having as their object to simplify and strengthen the machine and improve its operation.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents a top plan view of the rake; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the same, one wheel being removed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same on the line at a", Fig. 1, the parts being in operative posit-ion. Fig. 4 is an under face view of the cap-bar in which the rake-teeth have their hearing. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the footdever and its immediate connections through which the position of the axle and teeth is controlled, the view showing the parts in the position in which they appear when the teeth are partly raised. Fig. 6 is a side view showing the action of the clearer or stripper.

In the drawings, A represents the main axle, commonly consisting of a single bar of wood provided at its ends in the ordinary manner with metallic journals or axles, on which the two ground-wheels B are mounted.

0 represents the draft'frame consisting of thills or draftarnis connected by suitable crossbars, and united at their rear ends by hinges D to the forwardface of the axle.

E represents the drivers seat, carried by a standard secured to the draft-frame, so that the weight of the driver is applied through'the draft-frame and hinges to the front of the axle, so as to counterbalance the weight of the teeth extending in rear of the axle, and thus assist the operator in rolling the axle to lift the teeth in manner well. understood in the art.

gitndinal groove or channel, b, in its under side from end to end, and then forming a series of transverse grooves, c, in its under face The entire 5 5 from the rear edge inward until they meet the 6 5 channel I). These operations, which may be performed by ordinary mechanical appliances with great facility, adapt the bar to receive the teeth, as shown in Fig. 4, the journal of each tooth lying in the .channel I), while the body of the tooth extends rearward through the groove 0, which is of vertical depth sulficient to permit a limited play of each tooth around its journal.

WVhen the cap-bar is bolted to the top of the 7 5 axle, as shown, it connects the entire series of teeth securely thereto, at the same time .permitting each tooth to play vertically and independently to a limited extent.

In order to effect, the rolling mot-ion of the axle or rakehead and to lock the same when required to hold the teeth in operative position, there is bolted firmly to the axle at its middle an upright arm, H, and pivoted thereto a bar, I, which extends thence forward to an angular lever, J, to which it is pivoted at d. The lever J is in turn pivoted at e to and between the ears of a bearingplate, K, which is bolted firmly to one of the cross-bars of the draft-fran1e. one piece in the peculiar form represented in Figs. 8 and 5, with a front arm, f, by which to tip it forward, a rear arm, g, by which to tip it backward, a slot or curve, It, in its up- The lever J is cast complete in per surface to receive the forward end of the bar I, and a stop or shoulder, '5, at the under side to encounter the forward end of the bar I and serve as a stop to limit the movement of the lever and bearing when the pivot d stands in line with or slightly below the pivots e and k; or, in other words, when the two parts stand upon the center.

An; operating lever and a bar extending thence to a rolling rake head have been hitherto arranged to look upon the center for the purpose of holding the rake head in posi tion, and this is not broadly claimed herein; but it is believed thatthis is the first construc; tion of an operating-lever in the particular 'form shown in the drawings, with its two op: crating-arms and with a stop-shoulder to directly engage the bar I.

In rakes of the present type much difficulty is encountered when they are of great width by reason of the springing or bending of the axle when subjected to the resistance and weight of the hay carried by the teeth.

An important feature of this invention resides in the provision of a brace connecting the axle at its middle with the draft-frame. This brace, as shown at L, Figs. 1, 3, and 5, consists of a rod, jointed at its rear end to the bolt M, which connects the arm H to the axle, andjointed at its forward end to the bearingplate K on the draft-frame. The brace-rod thus applied connects the middle of the axle with the middle of the draft-frame in such manner that the axle cannot spring or bend in a backward direction. As it is in some cases inconvenient to arrange the rear end of the brace L in exact alignment with the hinges connecting the draft-frame and axle, it is necessary to provide against the cramping of the parts, which would otherwise occur when the axle is rotated. For this purpose the forward end of the bolt M is provided with a vertical slot, and, if necessary, the rear end of the bearingplate with a horizontal slot, as shown in Fig. 3. \Vhen the axle is rotated, these slots permit a sliding motion of the brace sufficient to secure an. easy action of the parts.

It is to be understood that the essence of the invention in this regard consists in the employment ofthe central brace or draft rod between the axle and draft-frame, and that the details of construction may be variouslymodt fied without departing from the scope of the invention.

For the purpose of insuring the delivery of the hay from the teeth as they are lifted there is employed, as usual, above the teeth atransverse clearer or stripper bar, N, having teeth which extend downward between and below the rake-teeth. Hitherto it has been the general practice to guide and support this bar by slotted ears encircling the rake-teeth, and it frequently happens that when the teeth are raised these ears clinch orbinduponthe teeth. To avoid this trouble, there is boltedrigidly to each end of the bar a plate, 0, having a downwardlyextending slotted arm to encircle the adjacent tooth and aforwardly-extending arm, which is rounded upward andadapted to ride smoothly over the surface of the teeth when the rake is lifted, as shown in Fig. 6. The two ends of the bar are guided and held in position by rods P, extending to the upper ends of arms Q, rising rigidly from the sides of the draft-frame.

Vhile it is preferred to make use of teeth jointed to the axle, as herein described, it is manifest that teeth which are secured to the axle in any other appropriate manner, either rigidly or by means ofjoints, may be employed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is-- 1. In a wheeled hay-rake, the rocking rakehead having the wheels journaled on its end and the draft-frame hinged to the front of said rake-head near its end, in combination with the central rod or brace, L, connected with the rake-head and draftframe, substantially as described, whereby the springing or yielding of the head in a backward direction is pre- Vented.

2. The rocking wheeled axle having the teeth attached, in combination with a draft-frame jointed thereto, the central rod or brace, and

a slotted connection at one or both ends of said brace, as described.

3. In a rake, the rocking axle, the operatingarm applied thereto, thedraft-frame jointed to the axle, the lever mounted on the draftframe, the bar connecting said lever withthe arm on the axle, and the rod or brace connecting the axle with a plate to which the lever is pivoted,whereby the parts are maintained in position to secure the proper action of the lever.

4. In combination with a rake-tooth passing therethrough, asupport for the clearing device, consisting of plate 0, bent midway of its lengthto an angular form, one endprovided with the longitudinal slot to receive the tooth and the opposite end curved outward to ride upon the tooth.

In testimony whereof we hereunto set our hands, this 18th day of February, 1886, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

PHINEAS P. MAST. GEORGE W. STARTZMAN. Vitnesses:

J. W. SPAHR, (l. O. KIRKPATRICK. 

